I'm an art major at smcm, creating a blog for an Intro to Visual Thinking Class.
w00t.

1.26.2011

What is Art?

I found the reading to be quite confusing, I must admit. I enjoyed the beginning and the question “what is time” which really provoked me. Time is all around us, and we all experience it go by, but why can’t we describe it? What is it about time? I’m still not entirely sure.

We measure time by clocks and calendars, which has shaped our modern view of time. I found the differences between cyclical and linear time to be very interesting. Cyclical also translates into circular in some cases. When I think of time, I think of a more linear plan, like those on calendars: very westernized. I also enjoyed reading about the cultural influences on time, and how time has developed over time. (hah)

For me, I do not think of time based on religon, and have a hard time equating the two. I come from a household with two religions, Christianity and Judiasm. Sure, I go to church on Sunday, and sure, Hannukah lasts 7 night, and so forth. For me, time is more immediate. I guess in some ways, I can gage larger amounts of times by manmade landmarks, but time seems so much more immediate.

In today’s world, we focus so much on rushing, hurrying, making money and doing this fast. We do focus on the present a lot, and what time we get off work, or what time we have to get up the next morning. What will become of the future? Where will this lifestyle lead us? Will it go back to the beginning as the Stoics believed?

“Those who want to see must close their eyes” –Paul Gaughin

I find this quote to be extremely thought provoking when taken in context with art. Art is something visual, something you need your eyes for, right? We talked about this often never, ends in instant gratification. Our first reading suggested that reading in class on the 24th and I’ve been thinking. Looking at art does not always, and it was like a cat, something which you must move towards. Closing your eyes goes back to this. Simply looking will not necessarily result in understanding a piece of art. Sometimes you need to close your eyes and remove yourself from the situation, reflect, or spend some time alone with the art object to get a sense of it.

I’ve also been reflecting on the discussion on language that we had. During class, I was so sure language was the disconnect between people, from the quotation “The limits of my language means the limit of my world” according to Ludwig Wittgenstein. After discussion this with a fellow student, however, I was sure that this was not the case.

Language limits the expression but not the meaning.

One can feel the same way, but language inhibits our way to express this. If someone were to not know a word for pain, they would still feel it, wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t a person simply not be able to describe it to another person? What about deaf people or mute people and the disconnect there? I am still trying to comprehend this myself.

WhatisART?....

I feel like I’ve gone over this question at the start of every new art class, and each time it gets harder to define. Every time, I learn some thing new, or realize something new. Talking to a classmate seemed to get me nowhere in this search.

What is art? I believe it’s defined by the viewer and the artist at the same time. This, however, can bring ethics into play and how far art can stretch.